Colors
by Epsilon Sylvati
Summary: Oh shit another story. This one is basically Iceland going blind, but he tries to hide it from everyone else. However, his condition is worse than he thinks. All this on top of school, a new transfer student from Hong Kong, and the common difficulties/drama with being a teenager. Will contain yaoi, but I am not sure how much yet. :D
1. Chapter 1

Oh shit another story. This one is basically Iceland going blind, but he tries to hide it from everyone else. However, his condition is worse than he thinks. All this on top of school, a new transfer student from Hong Kong, and the common difficulties/drama with being a teenager. Will contain yaoi, but I am not sure how much yet. :D

A few notes:

First off, I'm sorry for beginning another story. This one will be posted on both my account and tumblr.

(My tumblr is hetaliacentral . tumblr . com)

Character names: Emil (Iceland, 17), Lukas (Norway, 19), Matthias (Denmark, 20), Tino (Finland, 20), Berwald (Sweden, 21). Other names will be listed as they appear.

The story takes place a few weeks before school begins in late August.

EDIT: A HUGE thanks to Death-Scimitar for being my Beta!

* * *

Emil drummed his fingers against the arm of the uncomfortable chair before shifting to lean forward. His eyes took in the waiting room, observing the colors of each individual object, attempting to imprint every hue into his mind. The outdated magazines beside him did not hold his interest longer than a few measly seconds and his muscles ached from the tension as he impatiently tapped his feet.

A nurse in violet scrubs came through the door, foot propped to keep it open as she squinted at a name. "Emil Steilsson?" Emil stood up quickly and followed the nurse through the door, down a short hallway, and into a cramped doctor's office. "He'll be right with you," the nurse mumbled before closing the door and exiting the room.

Emil sat down on the puffy black chair. The phoropter leaned a bit to the side, its intimidating structure causing Emil's frown to deepen, if that was even possible.

The doctor appeared not much later, holding a file with Emil's name scrawled upon the small tab at the top. "Alright, Emil. We have good news and bad news." He wheeled a chair over to sit across from Emil, flipping the file open and fingering through the pages.

"Tell me the bad news first," Emil insisted, eyes hard as the doctor looked over his glasses at the boy.

He placed the file upon his lap and stared Emil straight in the face. "You are going to go blind." Emil sucked in a breath before clenching his fists into his pants. He nodded, signaling the doctor to continue. "If our charts are correct, you will lose your eyesight completely within the next six to nine months. The good news," the doctor paused, pulling a sheet of paper from the closed file and handing it to Emil, "there may be a chance to fix it. It is risky, and may not even work, but surgery may be able to fix the problem."

Emil forced himself to breathe evenly, feeling the world shift and swirl around him. The doctor's hand came forward, offering a comforting clap upon Emil's shoulder. "What are the risks? When could we do the surgery?" Emil asked.

The doctor sat back. "If you do decide to go with the surgery, we will have more tests to go through before an official date is chosen. More information can be given at a later date depending on the specific diagnoses and procedure chosen for your situation. For now you should go home and talk to your folks about this, alright?" The doctor stood, handing the slip of paper to Emil. Emil stood and was led silently out of the office. They parted with strained farewells and Emil's hand fumbled within his deep pockets for his keys. He didn't notice he had already exited the building until he was seated behind the wheel of his car, hands white as he stared ahead with unfocused eyes. He remained still for a few minutes, his breathing measured.

"I'm…going to go blind," Emil murmured, trying to get his mind to face the reality of such an incredulous statement. He didn't bother reading the paper before stuffing it into his pocket. Pulling out of the parking lot, he began the short drive back to his house. He would never admit his hands had been shaking the entire ride.

Before Emil knew it, he had cut the engine off and the little house stood before him. A window curtain hastily closed when Emil caught sight of a face peering through the clear glass. Taking the jingling keys from the ignition, Emil dragged his feet to the front door, preparing to be bombarded with questions. The door swung open before he could even grasp the doorknob, a straight-faced boy staring expectantly at Emil.

"Where have you been?" Lukas inquired steadily, stepping aside and allowing entrance into the house.

Emil waved the question away as he slipped his shoes off and padded across the floor, sniffing the air. Pleasant aromas of home cooking forced his stomach to rumble and a familiar Finnish man's giggling could be heard from the kitchen.

"Emil, don't ignore me." Lukas trailed the white-haired boy into the kitchen.

"I just went to the store to browse. I'm out of games," Emil said, resisting the urge to bite his lip nervously. Lukas scowled, but dropped the subject.

"EMIL! Hey, where have ya been?" The loud voice made Emil flinch as an arm draped itself across his stressed shoulders. The limb was removed as soon as it had appeared when Lukas grabbed it and shoved Matthias away.

"Keep your arms off him." Lukas ordered. Immediately Matthias changed targets and began attempting to playfully hug Lukas instead.

"Hello Tino, Berwald." Emil nodded to the duo before striding towards the stairs, taking advantage of Lukas's distraction with Matthias. He rubbed his eyes as he entered his bedroom and kicked the door closed softly, flopping down upon the chair before his desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose. The square glasses sat precariously near the corner of the oak desk. A thin hand reached for them, sliding the spectacles on with ease. Emil grimaced as the world he thought had been so clear snapped to a much sharper focus.

Emil had taken extreme care to hide his eyesight complications from his brother and friends, saving money from his part-time job to schedule appointments behind their backs. He rested his head in his hands before remembering the sheet of paper still in his pocket. Emil drew the paper out and his eyes scanned the small script quickly.

A simple synopsis and description of his 'illness' was provided, along with precautions and charts of Emil's decreasing vision over the course of several months prior. At the very bottom a phone number was provided requesting a guardian to contact a Dr. Roma if interest in the procedure presented itself. Emil sighed, taking his glasses off and placing them in the side drawer of his desk along with the paper and opened his laptop. Within seconds, pesterchum popped up with several messages from a few of his friends. A small, tired smile forced itself upon Emil's face as he began to reply.

- freedomburger [FB] began pestering puffinmaster [PM] at 16:42 -

FB: hey!

FB: dude, u there?

FB: come on man! i wanna talk!

PM: Don't you always talk?

FB: oh, u are on! what's up man?

PM: Nothing really. How about you?

PM: Wait, I take that back.

FB: no way! u already asked! xD

PM: What have I done.

FB: u won't believe what i did today

FB: seriously. it was awesome!

PM: Let me guess. Did you jump off the top of your house again because you thought you could fly?

FB: no way! besides that was years ago!

Emil watched the shenanigans of another one of Alfred's crazy tales unfold. He shook his head and stretched before resting his fingers upon the keys again.

FB: so did u hear the news?!

PM: What news would that be?

FB: we have a new transfer student!

PM: We always get new transfer students. That is kind of the point of our school.

FB: u mean my school. all you immigrants are planning to take it over! i can feel it!

PM: Yes, we are. I can't believe you figured it out so quickly.

FB: :D

FB: but yea, apparently it's some new guy from Hong Kong or some shit like that

FB: he's asian

PM: Yes, Hong Kong is in that area.

Emil continued the conversation, debating immigration and geography with the bull-headed American. Why he always acted so stupid Emil would never know. Everyone knew Alfred was crazy smart, but for some reason, he insisted that he really was stupid. He dragged a hand over his face as he spoke to a few other friends and then signed off.

Emil turned and stared at a picture of him, his parents, and his older brother, Lukas. The photograph was several years old, taken when his parents were still alive. Their faces were genuinely cheery and happy. In six months I may never be able to see their faces again. Emil mentally slapped himself, but the troubling thought still pulled at the corners of his consciousness. He had purposefully placed the framed photo there so that he wouldn't forget his parent's faces. If he couldn't see, how was he supposed to know for sure how his parents looked? How would he be able to see the changing faces around him? How would he be able to see movies, or read, or do his homework, or take the stupid tests at school?

How would he be able to hide it from everyone else?


	2. Chapter 2

(Sorry for the wait and the blehness, but I gotta move this story along. It is gonna be a pretty short story.~)

Thanks to **AILOVE-withcake** for helping with reviewing! You helped me out a lot ^^

**NEW CHARACTERS**: Arthur Kirkland (England, 18), Alfred F. Jones (America, 17), Michelle (Seychelles, 16), MeiMei (Taiwan, 17), Li Xiao (Hong Kong, 18), (Ancient Rome, 35)

* * *

The next day shone bright with the overbearing sun glaring through Emil's painted glass windows. He rolled over, throwing the blanket over his head, grumbling nonsense in hopes to sleep the day away.

"Get up." A stern voice ordered, whisking the covers off the bed much to Emil's dismay. Lukas stood at the foot of his brother's bed, one hand clasping an edge of the blanket and the other holding clothes for Emil to wear.

"I'm not a kid, Lukas." Emil stretched sleepily, rolling his ankles and yawning widely. "I can pick out my own clothes. Besides," he looked more closely at the articles of clothing in his brother's hands. "Those are way to formal. I'm going to high school, not an interview." He rolled out of bed, stumbling to his closet and creaking the old door open. At his feet a large, jumbled up pile of clothes tumbled forward to land upon the floor. He shrugged, pulling out a random t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Lukas tsked from behind.

"How are we related?" Lukas mumbled, looking disdainfully at Emil's choice. Again, he shrugged.

"Ask mom and dad." Emil mumbled, silencing Lukas before beginning to change clothes sluggishly. Lukas left, throwing a strange look over his shoulder and closing the door quietly behind him. It took moments for Emil to dress, not bothering to brush his messy hair. He regretted staying up late on the computer talking with Alfred, but Emil simply yawned and grabbed his keys from his desk. He trudged downstairs dejectedly, nose smelling coffee and bacon, but he hurried out the door to avoid any more confrontation.

* * *

Emil's second block was Economics, a nice calming change after the sweaty rush of gym class. The class itself was easy, but most of the people were stupid, at least in the white haired boy's opinion. The class president, Arthur Kirkland, was the most idiotic of all to Emil. A rivalry between them had started years ago, in elementary school, when Arthur had stolen Emil's fish candies. The two had gotten in a rather brutal fistfight for the incident, and had despised each other since. However, Arthur's best friend and crush was also Emil's best friend, Alfred. How Alfred managed to actually like the English boy at all surprised Emil endlessly.

Emil sat comfortably in the back corner next to the windows with Alfred in the seat in front of him. Because Arthur's crush overpowered his hate for Emil, he took the chair next Alfred's, though he never failed to give a nasty look at the Icelander. The seat next to him sat lonely and empty. Emil normally zoned out, staring out the window as he listened vaguely to the teacher. As per usual, Emil was zoning out at that moment.

Outside, the trees swung in the soft breeze, varying shades of green framing the school upon the hill. Concrete stairs led down the sloping hill to the parking lot for below. Most students brought blankets and ate lunch upon the hills or under trees, enjoying the amazing summer temperatures. Far in the distance, a black dot began climbing the stairs. Emil squinted, waiting rather impatiently for the figure to form and take the definite shape of a human. Suddenly, Alfred swung around, staring excitedly at Emil, startling the white-haired boy from his reverie.

"Dude! That's the exchange student!" Alfred grinned, swiveling to gaze unashamedly at the speck ascending the stairs. Emil was pretty sure Alfred's own glasses were for show for how far and clearly he could see, even without the spectacles.

"Hmm…" Emil answered, the exchange student finally coming into focus. He wore the school uniform of dark grey and red, making Emil smile. No one wore the uniform except the students with sticks up their asses who thought it made them important. Emil stared sidelong at Arthur as he thought this, the English boy straightening his grey jacket.

Just before the boy's face became clear, the bell rang, marking the end of class. Students fled the room with gossip and aggravated moans as they traveled to their next class. Emil took his time, gathering his things and watching the brunette enter the school.

"I sure hope he's in my lunch. He looks pretty cool." Alfred said, waving to Emil and disappearing from the room, struggling to catch up with Arthur who had disappeared before the American noticed. Strange that the strict Arthur had left Emil alone for the day, now that he thought about it. He must be planning something. Emil thought cautiously, narrowing his eyes and shouldering his bag. Lunchtime. Maybe he could sneak away and not be noticed? Emil huffed, heading straight towards the doors to meet up with his normal crew.

* * *

Alfred didn't have first lunch, but Emil was not alone. He had his other best friend to sit with, Michelle. The duo sat under a tree on a flatter part of the hilly area near the entrance of the school. Emil leaned back, propped against the ancient oak tree. Students sat in groups across the hill, laughing and smiling with friends. Michelle spoke quickly in front of Emil, talking about her fishing adventures from the previous day with large, excited eyes.

"It was this big!" She held her arms out wide to demonstrate. "I swear!" Emil cocked an eyebrow, sipping at his water bottle.

"Don't you mean this big?" Emil asked, using his pointer finger and thumb to show about an inch, earning a playful punch from Michelle.

"Believe it or not, Emil, but I am an excellent fisher! Best one here, I bet!" Michelle exclaimed eyes scanning the hill in search of someone of worthy value to challenge her title before she laughed out loud. "Oh yea, I forgot you fished, too." Her giggling was infectious, and Emil found himself grinning as well.

"Hey!" Another voice said. Emil looked up to see another friend. Meimei stood with a boxed lunch. Beside her the transfer student stood, face blank and head phones in his ears. Emil was shocked, but made no expression to show it.

"Mei!" Michelle cheered, scooting over and patting the ground next to her. Mei sat down, pulling the new student along but he remained standing. She waved her hand at him, rolling her eyes. "I was just retelling some of my best fishing adventures, but Emil thinks he's too good for them." Michelle stuck her tongue childishly out at Emil and he rolled his eyes. Mei laughed heartily but held up a hand.

"I'd love to hear it, but first I'd like to introduce him." She nodded towards the still standing boy, his eyes examining the IPhone in his hand, plugging headphones into it. "This is Li Xiao. He's from Hong Kong. We're cousins." Mei explained as Li Xiao finally sat down next to Emil, his back to the thick trunk of the tree. His eyes were a rich honey color and Emil stared for a moment, taking another drink of water. Li Xiao felt Emil's eyes and turned to gaze right back. A strange, awkward silence filled the air as the girls quieted and watched the silent staring contest ensue.

"Emil." Emil offered, turning away with a bored expression. Li Xiao nodded and took out his right headphone.

"Li Xiao. Here." The new student answered, allowing Emil to take the offered headphone and listen to the foreign, jumpy music. The rhythm was quick paced and unique. "My own mixes." Li mumbled, fingers drumming on his stretched out legs.  
Emil's eyes widened just barely in wonder, but he did not speak. He was too busy enjoying the music.

* * *

The rest of the day was uneventful other than finding out his last class was with Li Xiao. Alfred had been sullen momentarily that the new student wasn't in his class, but he chippered up when he learned Li was in Economics as well.  
Emil sat at the dark wooded desk in his bedroom, one hand holding the eye doctor's note and the other holding his cell phone. His mind flitted nervously between his options of surgery and blindness. The risks couldn't be that bad, right? His right foot tapped the floor, hands shaking barely. Angrily, Emil stilled them and pushed in the number. Within moments, another voice, a cheerful one at that, answered.

"Hello? Doctor Roma's office!" In the background, Emil heard another voice.

"If you answer the phone, then what is the point of my job?" The voice, a woman's, asked.

"You just need to look pretty, 'kay?" The doctor answered. Emil's palms sweated uncomfortably.

"Uh, this is Emil Steilsson-"

"Emil! Oh yes, I received a call regarding your condition." Doctor Roma's voice sobered, becoming more serious. "I know this is hard. Why don't you come in and we can talk about this before any major decisions are made. Are your parents or guardians there?"

Emil's mouth dried. "Ah, no, but they said whenever you are available."

"Then how about next Thursday at four? That is my soonest available date." The rustling of papers could be heard and Emil nodded to himself.

"That's fine. I'll be there." Without waiting for a reply, Emil ended the call and pushed back in his chair. He stared wide-eyed at his phone. He was really doing this. Emil hoped Thursday wouldn't be there too soon, but his bad luck was quite infamous.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed! It honestly means a lot to me. 3

This chapter was a quickie, but next chapter is finally the operation. Anyone have a guess as to how it will go?

* * *

No one would even know Emil was skipping school. He padded across the floor with haste, stopping at the corners to peek around them. The appointment had been scheduled for eight a.m., but Emil wanted to sneak out without detection at around six. As per usual, Lukas's friends were over. Unless he hurried, the early riser Lukas, or even worse, Berwald or Matthias would catch Emil.

Emil had awoken early, at around five, combing his hair after a shower. He even chose a more presentable outfit, not wanting to arrive at the doctor's office looking like a grubby high school slacker. The more professional he looked, the more the doctor would believe him. He would be more likely to trust that Emil's 'parents' would allow him to go on his own. At least, this was Emil's thought process. His glasses were folded gently inside his pocket. Emil's vision was becoming worse very, very quickly.

He nudged the front door open and slipped outside, silent as a mouse. When the door wouldn't shut behind him, Emil turned around slowly. Eyes on the ground, Emil spotted a large black shoe preventing the door from closing.

_No_. Emil thought to himself quietly. His eyes traveled upwards sluggishly, not wanting to meet the eyes of the one who caught him. A small flash on metal-rimmed glasses made Emil's stomach drop.

_No, no, no_…. A million curses flashed inside Emil's mind, but he simply stared at the swede, neither moving nor speaking. Berwald did the same. After a few moments of silence, Emil felt a shift, his balance wavering. He put a hand on the doorframe to steady himself. Finally, the Swedish man spoke.

"What are you doin'?" His clipped, monotone voice cut through the otherwise silent morning like a knife. Emil bit his lip, releasing the door frame and straightening his jacket. Berwald wasn't stupid. He must be suspicious of Emil's attire. Emil met the swede's stare with a confidence he did not feel.

"I'm leaving early." He declared. Emil set his chin, refusing to give any more information. Another full minute of silence descended upon the two.

"Alright." Berwald said at last. He removed his foot from the door and shut it. Emil was so relieved that he didn't mind having his own door slammed in his face. He descended the steps and the world tipped, his balance shifting again.

_I should have gotten more sleep_. Emil thought silently. He climbed into his car hurriedly, remembering that he was not in the clear just yet. Emil thanked his parents silently for passing on such a noiseless car to him. The small car crunched the stones as it pulled away from the home. Just before Emil backed onto the street, he could have sworn he saw the curtain move, and through the blurriness convoluting his vision, his brother's face stared out.

* * *

The doctor's office sat on a corner in the middle of nowhere. Emil had gotten lost at least three times, and when he was about to give up, the tiny building came into view. Surrounded by tall, obtrusive trees, the office could be passed without anyone knowing of its existence.

Slamming his door shut, Emil strode towards the office; his glasses perched upon his nose. The prescription glasses were already becoming more of an annoyance than anything helpful. They now barely helped him.

_I'll have to get bifocals before long._ Emil thought nervously. The plain white door opened easily and bells upon the handle marked his arrival. The waiting room, as expected, held no one. A woman sat behind a counter, thick glass separating her from the waiting room. Emil neared the counter, smiling politely.

"Emil Steilsson?" His voice cracked, and he pushed up his glasses in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. The woman's head snapped up, startled. She smiled, looking back down at the papers scattered upon her desk.

"Hello! Take a seat. It will be just a few moments." Emil nodded, turning to sit upon one of the cushy tan chairs residing in the cramped room. Just as he began to sink into the cushions, the door next to the glass room slammed open.

"Dr. Roma will see you now!" A tall man with a scruffy face beamed at Emil, who wondered if it was normal for someone's teeth to shine so bright. The Icelander stood, following through the door and was led into an office. There was nothing extravagant in the room. The desk was of a simple wood, though pictures adorned the walls and almost every surface. Dr. Roma and two other men, both with strange curls not so different from Norway's. Shaking his head, Emil focused on the doctor.

"Alright, Emil. Take a seat." Emil tripped towards his seat, frowning at his klutziness. "How are your eyes doing?" Emil stared at the doctor, blinking once before sighing. Taking off his glasses, he felt much older than a simple teenager. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and placed his chin in his hand.

"Worse. I never thought it would get so bad so quickly." Emil admitted, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. It was hard hiding this from everyone, and speaking with a doctor made him feel a tad better. "I can't see more than ten feet without blurriness, but with my glasses, I can see up to fifteen feet." Sitting back in his chair, Emil stared expectantly at Dr. Roma.

"I see. Do you play any sports?" Emil cocked his head to the side in confusion before shaking his head. "Instruments?" This time, the white-haired boy hesitated before nodding.

"Yea. Violin. Why?"

"Having a hobby or being athletic would certainly put your mind off this big operation. Have you played recently?" Dr. Roma smiled, listening intently to Emil, who was not used to the attention.

"No, I haven't. Not much interest, I guess." Being honest, Emil was losing interest in a lot of things. The thought of losing his vision scared him to the point of wanting to forget the things he loved, so if he did go blind, he would not be missing much.

"I see. Well, how are your parents wanting to go about this problem?" Dr. Roma's eyes glinted knowingly. Emil sat a bit straighter.

"They-they are all for the procedure. They don't want me to loose my vision any more than I do." Emil set his jaw and clasped his hands together. Dr. Roma sat for a moment, staring intently at Emil.

"Alright. I will need to meet with them here-"

"You can't." Emil shot his answer out before Dr. Roma had time to finish his sentence. _This is bad_. He thought, the onsets of panic beginning to tug at his mind. _He knows_.

"Why not?" Dr. Roma said slowly, pulling out a thin binder from a filing cabinet behind the desk.

"They left. Two days ago. They have work in Japan and won't be back for another month."

"Japan? I see. I don't know if we can wait much longer if we want this operation to work." Dr. Roma frowned for the first time, and Emil's mood drooped as well.

"I understand. They told me to make a date, and you guys can discuss the issue over the phone." Emil felt sweat prickling at the back of his neck as Dr. Roma scooted forward, placing his hands on his desk with a thoughtful stare. He seemed indecisive, but he simply shrugged.

"Alright. Based on your test results here-" The doctor opened the binder and used his finger to show Emil highlighted lines after swiveling the binder so they could both see. "You are needed this surgery much sooner than anticipated. I would recommend the soonest available date." The older man turned his chair to the old computer perched on his desk, fingers dancing across the keyboard. "Most people are referred to another doctor here, but your case fits into my expertise. He treats minor eye issues, while I treat the more problematic and major matters." Dr. Roma gave a look as if to prove the severity of the situation. "That makes my schedule relatively clear. I understand this is soon, but is four days alright?" Emil's heart thudded painfully in his chest.

"Yes. That works." He bit his tongue to stop any stuttering from escaping.

"Perfect! Then I will just need a number to call your parents."

_Shit. He caught me._ Emil fought the urge to scowl.

"Of course." Emil's mind raced, fighting to think of an idea. Suddenly, he smiled. "You can call this number, but please do not call until tomorrow around noon. You know business." Emil grinned slyly and gave the doctor the number quickly. Dr. Roma smiled back, holding his hand out to shake and standing.

"Excellent! I will see you in four days. Remember to practice your violin!" As Emil stood to leave, Dr. Roma handed him some information papers regarding the surgery.

Emil rushed from the office and out the building. The fresh air caught him off guard, making him sway on his feet. A headache had begun pounding a while ago, but he tried to ignore it. Emil climbed into his car and took some Ibuprofen from his glove box. Placing his head in his hands upon the steering wheel, Emil eyed the time on his cell. 9:22.

_Might as well go to school, then. I need to talk to someone, anyways._ Emil pulled out of the parking lot and retraced his steps, taking more time as his muddled mind deciphered which roads were correct. He knew exactly who would be perfect for his plan: Li Xiao.


	4. Chapter 4

((I'M SORRY. I thought the operation would be this chapter, but it's actually next chapter. I'm sorry. Anyways, here ya go~! Thanks for reviewing, favoriting, and following~!))

* * *

"You want me to what?" Li Xiao asked, face blank as he listened to Emil.

"Tomorrow at noon. I need you to pretend to be my dad." Emil answered, face just as blank. He was proud of his idea. He had given Dr. Roma Li's number, and then Emil would convince Li Xiao to pretend to be his father. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

"Okay, I understand, but why?" Li Xiao took out his phone and began to immerse his attention on the small device.

"Because. It's important." Emil retorted, voice serious and expectant. The two had been hanging out ever since Li transferred. They got along surprisingly well, not that Emil would ever admit. Li Xiao sighed, dropping the phone onto his lap. He turned his head to stare at Emil.

"What do I get out of it?" Emil paused. He hadn't thought about this. Actually, he didn't think Li Xiao would want or need anything in return.

"Uhm, what?"

"If I'm doing this for you, then I should get something in return." Li Xiao spoke as if Emil was a child, and the white-haired boy's face flamed in annoyance.

"I could ask someone else."

"Yea, but you won't." Li Xiao met Emil's icy stare without a single change in his bored expression. Emil balled his fists and averted his eyes.

"Fine. What do you want?" It couldn't be anything that bad, right? Emil held the cup of coffee tightly in his hands and took a long drink.

"I need your help putting firecrackers in the principle's office." Emil nearly spat out his drink in surprise. He needed _what_?!

"What?! You have got to be joking." Emil gawked at Li Xiao, but the Asian's face remained serious. "I ask you to say three words on the phone and you ask me to blow up a building. That isn't very fair!"

"First of all, you are asking me to impersonate someone. That's _illegal_. Second of all, I'm not blowing anything up other than fireworks." Li Xiao picked up his phone again. Emil bit his lip. Was this really worth it? Would it even work?

"Fine." Emil mumbled after a long, exasperated sigh. Li Xiao smirked.

"Cool. So what do I have to say?"

Emil was silent for a moment. "You're going to be talking to my doctor about a simple check-up. My brother isn't here, so you are going to have to approve of a date for the appointment. You are going to have to pretend to be my dad, Adam Steilsson." It was kind of scary how easy it was becoming to lie. "_Don't_ ask questions. Just say that Emil talked to you about the appointment and that it was okay. Then say you have to go or something." Suddenly, something popped into Emil's head. "By the way, can you do an Icelandic accent?" Li Xiao rolled his eyes.

"No." Emil sat back, biting his lip. That wouldn't work. His plan would fall through the minute Dr. Roma heard Li's accent. "But I can do an American accent." Li demonstrated his American accent and Emil sighed in relief. Now _that_ was more believable.

"Good. He should be calling tomorrow at around noon, so when we're just sitting down for lunch." Emil grinned slowly. This would work. It had to.

"Whoa. You can smile?" Li Xiao had a mock face of astonishment as Emil shoved him.

"Shut up." Emil fought the grin, but it was no use.

"Wow, you're a miracle worker, Li! Emil never smiles." Michelle giggled as she plopped down across from Emil, who sat in his normal spot against the tree. Li Xiao shrugged, his attention lost once again on his cell phone. Emil shook his head, ignoring the bad inkling tugging at his core.

**THE NEXT DAY**

Emil awoke with a migraine. He groaned, turning over and slamming his hand on his alarm. If he didn't get up soon, Lukas would come in. He thought of staying home from school, but then he remembered the phone call. Slowly but surely, Emil rolled out of bed. His vision blurred horribly as he dropped to the floor.

_What is going on?_ Emil thought sluggishly. It felt as if someone was crushing his head. _Oh, no._ Emil held his hand in front of his face. It was still clear, but the headache only worsened his vision. Suddenly, he felt a wave of nausea overcome everything else. Covering his mouth, Emil stood and stumbled towards the bathroom. He shut the door and locked it quickly before hurling into the toilet. After a few moments, Emil felt the nausea disappear and the headache begin to gradually ebb away. A knock at the door shocked Emil into action.

"Emil, are you getting ready?" Lukas's voice, monotone as ever, questioned from behind the door.

"Yea." Emil all but croaked. He stood and flushed the toilet before climbing into the shower, after which he sulked back to his room to finish dressing.

* * *

By the time Emil made it to school first period had already passed. It took longer to get ready than expected. He felt much better, but now Emil was presented with another problem: seeing the board. Since Li Xiao had been transferred, he sat next to Emil. Emil could normally make most of the words out, but today they muddled together impossibly. He squinted, trying to make sense of the letters on the board.

"Do you need to move up, Emil?" The teacher asked, making everyone turn to the Icelander. Alfred turned around, pencil in hand.

"Wanna borrow my glasses?" Alfred joked, smiling. Emil rolled his eyes and stared back down at his empty notebook.

"Here." Li Xiao mumbled, scooting closer to Emil and pushing his notebook over so that Emil could see. Cheeks flaming, Emil began writing quickly. The teacher turned back to his lesson, and the class centered their attention back to learning.

"Thanks." Emil whispered, immediately copying Li Xiao's fancy script writing.

Class ended just as Emil finished scribbling down the notes. The students filed out of the room and sped towards their next class as the teacher packed up and left for lunch.

"Going blind, you pillock?" Emil stood, collecting his bag and closing his notebook. Arthur smirked when Emil did not take the bait. "What's wrong? No fight anymore?"

"Shut up, Arthur." Emil growled, glaring at the English boy, who pretended to be offended. Alfred stood, eyes darting between the two. Li Xiao did the same, but looked rather bored and uninterested.

"Make me." Arthur dared. Emil shook his head.

"Try being mature for once." Emil shot back, shouldering his bag.

"Uh, guys-" Alfred attempted to interject, but Arthur interrupted him.

"Watch yourself. I've got a surprise for you that I am positive you will love." The English boy stepped forward and shoved Emil before turning away. Emil lost his balance, feet stumbling and the world twisting. Li Xiao appeared behind the Icelander in a flash, hand on his back to prevent him from falling.

"Arthur! What the hell is your deal?" Alfred said, following his friend out of the room after furrowing his brows at Emil.

Li Xiao and Emil stood still in the room for a moment, everyone else already gone. "Why does he hate you so much?" Li asked, staring down at Emil.

"Long story." Emil mumbled. He stepped away from Li's hand. "Lets go to lunch." The two left the room and separated momentarily, rejoining at the tree. Their lockers were at opposite sides of the school, and it was much easier to meet each other at their normal spot for lunch.

Li Xiao sat down, laying his bento box upon his lap. "So when is this call going to go through?"

"Any minute now." Emil answered, checking the time on his own phone. The time already read 12:05.

"Alright. I worked on my accent a bit more last night, too." Emil turned to Li Xiao. His expression softened a bit before he nodded appreciatively. Abruptly Li's phone began to vibrate. The two looked at each other.

"Answer it!" Emil ordered with haste, pointing at the phone.

"I am, geez." Li tapped the green answer button on his touch screen. "Hello?" His accent couldn't have been any more perfect. "Yes, this is Adam. Emil called and told me about the appointment." Emil bit his lip in suspense. "Procedure?" Emil's stomach dropped. Li Xiao's face darkened and he turned to stare wide-eyed at Emil. "Oh, yes. That's fine. Thank you. Goodbye." Li slowly took the phone away from his ear, staring at Emil in confusion. Emil closed his eyes and laid his head upon the trunk of the tree. Li furrowed his brow. "You're having a-"

"Shut up." Emil said weakly, head spinning.

"No." Li Xiao murmured, eyes stern. Emil turned his head to give Li a look of annoyance.

"It's none of your business, Li." Li Xiao shook his head and a spark of anger shined in his eyes.

"It _is_ my business. Why didn't you tell me?" Li Xiao scooted closer, his honey eyes giving nothing but a feeling of guilt in Emil's core. Emil ignored him, moving to eat his lunch and drop the subject, but Li Xiao forcefully turned him around. "Why didn't you-"

"Because I'm scared!" Emil breathed heatedly, rage dripping from his words. "I want to do this on my own, so stay out of it!" Emil pushed Li Xiao away as Mei and Michelle neared their lunch spot. "Don't tell anyone or I will never, _ever_ trust you again. I would hate you. _Forever_." Emil grabbed his bags hurriedly and stood. He headed straight towards the stairs, descending quickly and searching for his parked car. He did not dare look behind him. He knew Mei and Michelle would be worried, but he just couldn't handle them right now. Footsteps matching his own pace followed closely behind Emil.

"Leave me alone." Emil ordered, finding his blurred lump of a car. He unlocked the doors and ducked inside the vehicle. In a single moment, the passenger car door opened and the seat was taken.

"No. I just want to help you." Li Xiao sat stubbornly in the seat, refusing to move. Emil placed a hand on the steering wheel and started the car.

"I'm leaving. I don't need your help." Emil stared straight ahead at the large school atop the hill. Students still mingled, eating their lunches and laughing about who knows what.

"Fine. But I'm coming with you." Li Xiao clicked his seat belt into place. Emil didn't reply as he pulled out of the parking lot. The car lugged onto the long, curving road of fuzziness.

_Should I be driving?_ The rational part of Emil's brain questioned. However, Emil neglected the thought. He was tired of being scared and alone. He wished he didn't have to deal with this problem. Wished it wasn't him that might go blind. Selfish as it was, Emil wished this was someone else's problem. It would be better if he didn't have to deal with it, but he did. _What if I just disappeared, soo I don't have to deal with it?_ Emil's hands squeezed the wheel. Where did that thought come from? He didn't actually want to die. Only crazy people wanted that! A tap on his shoulder startled him.

"Where are we going?" Li asked again, staring out the windshield. Emil shrugged, squinting at the road. A few moments of silence. The sun sat comfortably in the center of the sky, towering trees whizzing past. Emil sighed.

"I don't know. I just wanted to get away from you, but here we are." Emil glared out the window, but the more he tried to remain angry, the faster it drained. Li Xiao eyed Emil sidelong.

"Pull over." He demanded. Surprised, Emil slowed the car.

_Did I make him mad at me?_ The rest of Emil's anger demolished into worry. The car slowed to a stop on the side of the road. For the first time since leaving the school, Emil gazed at Li Xiao, anxiousness clouding his features.

"Get out." Li commanded, opening his car door and stepping out.

"It's my car." Emil muttered, getting out of the car. Li Xiao rounded the car and gently eased him out of the way before sinking into the driver's seat. He watched the still standing Emil. "Well?" Emil crossed his arms.

"Well what?" Li Xiao asked, closing the door and hanging out the window. "Get in the car." Emil huffed, trudging towards the passenger seat. Once securely seated, Li pressed the gas, easing back onto the street.

"Where are we going?" Emil asked immediately.

"You'll see." Li responded. Emil sat back, resting his head on the window. Li Xiao started up some music, and Emil nodded his head to the rhythm. He felt groggy and tired, like the emotional overload minutes before drained him of energy. The music lulled him deeper into sleep, and before Emil knew it, he fell into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

"Hey. Hey. Emil." When Emil did not wake, Li Xiao brought the freezing shake to the Icelander's cheek. He awoke instantly, gasping at the coldness. His eyes adjusted, finding Li Xiao bent over him. The passenger door had been opened and Li was halfway through, face hovering five inches from Emil's.

"Gah!" Emil's cheeks heated instantly. Flustered, he scrambled away from Li and edged out of the car. Bright lights assaulted the white-haired boy's pale violet eyes and he squinted.

"By the way, are those contacts?" Li Xiao inquired, holding a shake out towards Emil and sipping his own. The Icelander shook his head. "Cool."

"Where are we?" Emil questioned, rubbing his eyes.

"Read the sign." Emil looked up at the cluster of brightness before eyeing Li with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, uhm, sorry. Blue moon."

"Ice cream shop?" Emil took the shake and his eyes widened. Licorice had been littered on top. "We skip school and you choose to go for ice cream?" His fingers pushed open the lid, snatched the pieces of candy, and brought a couple to his mouth. Emil sucked on the licorice, enjoying the flavor. He noticed Li Xiao watching him. "Want one?"

"Well, yea. Where else would we go? And only if you feed it to me." Li answered, opening his mouth. Emil blushed up to his ears.

"Sh-shut up! You're embarrassing yourself…and me!" The Asian boy shrugged. "I swear, you have got to be gay." Emil grinned, feeling more at ease as he sipped the icy beverage. Li Xiao stopped, staring at Emil strangely.

"Yea? So?" The Icelander gulped, not expecting the answer. He shrugged it off.

"So do you have a boyfriend, then?" The white-haired boy asked, honestly curious. Li Xiao nodded, and for some reason Emil was disappointed.

_Stop that_. Emil told himself. He wasn't homosexual, so why should he care whether Li had a boyfriend or not?

"Yea, he's back in Hong Kong. When I go back, we're going to be married." Emil's jaw dropped and he gawked openly at Li. Seeing Emil's reaction, the Asian smiled. "Ah, no. I don't have a boyfriend."

"Oh. Sweet." Li cocked his head at Emil. "I mean, not sweet, but…cool. I mean…" Emil slapped himself on the forehead. "Never mind." Li smirked and shook his head. He took Emil's sleeve and led him to one of the benches sitting in front of the ice cream parlor. "I'm not blind, ya know." Emil said, sitting down heavily. Li Xiao stared at his cup, licking some of the ice cream from his fingers.

"Do your parents actually know about the surgery?" Li asked quietly. Emil breathed out a long breath, leaning back.

"My parents are dead." Li froze.

"Oh…I'm sorry." The two remained silent, the only sound were the cars speeding past the cozy little parlor. "How does the doctor not know?"

"Lukas, my brother, is technically my guardian. The doctor didn't ask about my parents, and I didn't tell him." Emil drummed his fingers on the plastic cup, sucking a long sip. "They only need to know how they are being paid. They don't really need information like that."

"I see." Li stood, stretching his arms high above his head. "Does Lukas…does anyone know about the surgery?"

"No one but you. No one even knows about my failing vision."

"Failing vision?" Li asked abruptly. "Just what exactly is wrong?" Emil fell silent.

"I just…I just don't want to talk about it, Li." After a second, Li exhaled.

"Alright. Well, we should be going if you want to be back without any suspicions." Li started towards the car, tossing his empty cup into the trash.

"Huh? Blue moon is fifteen minutes from the school." Emil turned, staring at the parlor. Suddenly, he realized it was of a completely different model than the one near the school. "Wha-?"

"Not this one. We have an hour drive back." Li positioned himself behind the wheel and waved for Emil to follow.

"An _hour_? Where are we?" Emil looked around for any distinctive landmarks, but found nothing.

"This is the best Blue Moon around. C'mon, I'll pay the gas money back." Emil ducked into the car.

"You better. And…Li?" Emil gazed at the dark-haired boy as he reversed out of the parking lot, arm supporting him on the passenger seat to turn around and see the road. "Can you drive me to the surgery? And back?" Li smiled.

"Yea. I was hoping you'd ask. I would have anyways, though."

"Jerk." Emil grinned, laying his head back on the window. He was so fatigued lately. The day had turned out for the better, and eventually Emil fell, once again, into a tranquil sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

((Hey~! Thank you guys so much for the feedback. I love reading your reviews!))

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia, and never will. (Unfortunately)

* * *

The sun filtered in through the open window as birds chirped merrily from the trees. A calming breeze flowed into Emil's room, rustling his messy hair. He yawned loudly, stretching his arms and legs as he squinted against the light. Everything was so…fuzzy. He held a hand before his face, seeing the muddled outline with sadness.

"Please work…" Emil whispered to himself, ignoring the possibility of anyone hearing him. His motivation had all but drained as his fear built into hopelessness. He sat up, waiting patiently as the world dipped and turned around him. His movement had become sluggish and unpredictable, and at times Li Xiao had to help him walk. He even had to drive him to school. Emil didn't know how he still kept it from Lukas and the others. A knock at his door caught his attention, and then it opened. Lukas stood in the doorway.

"Emil, we need to talk." Lukas entered and moved to sit on the edge of Emil's bed before he could refuse. Emil stared at his brother, eyes unfocused as he tried to distinguish the shape of him. His features blurred together impossibly. A cold sweat broke out at the back of Emil's neck.

"Okay?" The Icelander didn't dare stand, for he knew he would most likely fall. Though he couldn't see it, Emil could tell Lukas was giving him _that_ look. The one that indicated Lukas knew something was up.

"I received a call from your teacher." Lukas began, drumming his fingers on the bedspread once. "Are you doing drugs?" Emil's face distorted in confusion.

"What?" He spluttered, not expecting the question.

"Your teacher said you've been sleeping in class, and stumbling more than walking." Lukas leaned in. "Be honest. I won't be mad if you tell the truth."

"I'm _not_ doing drugs!" Emil protested, anger lighting his words. How could Lukas ever think that? He knew how much Emil despised any type of drug. He barely took Aspirin! Lukas remained silent, watching Emil with indecision.

"Fine." Lukas quipped, obviously not believing his brother. He stood, leaving the room hesitantly, as if giving Emil the chance to say something. He did not. Emil didn't move until he heard Lukas begin to descend the stairs. He sighed, rubbing his face with his hands miserably.

_Great. Now he thinks I'm a druggie_. Emil placed a hand on a bedpost for support and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. Preparing himself with a deep breath, Emil hoisted himself from the bed, closing his eyes and planting his feet to keep himself from falling. He looked down, making slow progress to his dresser.

It didn't matter if he wore his glasses anymore. It made no difference. He opened the dresser, abandoning his spectacles in his desk drawer. As always, a ball of clothing bombarded Emil as he swung open the doors. He chose a shirt and jeans at random, shoving the other articles of clothing back into the dresser.

Now would be the real test: sneaking out of the house unnoticed. Emil grabbed his bags and opened his door, looking both ways into the long hallway. Nothing out of the ordinary that Emil could see, which wasn't much. He emerged from his room, closing the door quietly and shouldering his bag. Keeping a hand on the wall, Emil tiptoed down the stairs. As he reached the bottom, he could hear people speaking in the kitchen.

"-and I know he's lying. I know Emil. He goes out of his way to disobey what I say." Lukas's voice held a blatant tone. Though he said this in his normal droning voice, Emil felt the burn of an insult.

"Well, he is just a kid. He's gonna do what he wants and doesn't care about the consequences. I don't see why you worry so much about him." Matthias's voice was stopped by the harsh sound of a slap.

"It's not that I care or worry about him. I just don't want to be embarrassed by his stupidity. Our parents would disapprove of his actions." Emil bit his lip. So Lukas didn't care about him?

_What am I even thinking. He has never cared about me, and he never will._ Emil eased closer to the door, but his mind screamed at him to stop. Though it hurt, he still wanted to hear the conversation. Suddenly, his phone vibrated loudly in his pocket.

"Emil?" Lukas called from the kitchen, followed by swift footsteps. Emil threw the door open, almost colliding with Tino, of whom had his arm raised to knock on the solid oak.

"Oh! Good morning, Emil! I brought some ingredients for-" Tino's happy chattering was cut off as Emil shoved past him. "Oof!" He must have hit the door frame. Emil pulled his phone out of his pocket and held it close to his face, struggling to read the text.

"I'm outside. You ready?" The text read, but a large hand clasped around and yanked on Emil's upper arm.

"Say sorry." Berwald's low voice ordered, and Emil almost fell at the sudden stop. The large swede glared down at him, and the Icelander never felt so despised. Was everyone out to get him on the worst day possible?

"No." Emil spat, fighting against Berwald's hold. "Let me go!" Emil raised his voice, pulling at his arm and dropping his bags.

"Berw-" Tino's small voice murmured gently from behind the Swedish man.

"Say you're sorry." Berwald demanded again, and Emil felt his strength draining.

"What's going on?" Lukas questioned as he stood next to Tino. Matthias joined him.

"Let me go!" Emil yelled, feeling more hated than he ever had in his life. Tears stung the corners of his eyes as a door slamming from behind went unnoticed. Something sped past Emil, and Berwald huffed as if he had taken a punch. His hand loosened on Emil's arm as the white-haired boy tugged one last time and stumbled backwards.

"Here. Let's go." Li Xiao grabbed Emil's hand as he snatched up the dropped bags. The two sped towards Li's car. Emil closed his eyes against the twisting world, feeling nauseous. The Asian boy swung the door open and pushed Emil inside, slamming the thick metal closed and sprinting to his own door. He climbed in quickly and tossed the bags in the back seat. As the car pulled away from the house, Emil cracked open his eyes, seeing the group still standing at the door. He could hear the muffled screaming of his brother.

"Shit, they're persistent." Li Xiao scoffed as someone, probably Matthias, rushed towards the car. The wheels dug into the gravel as the car sped backwards precariously. The vehicle swung to the side, tail to the street as a truck honked warningly from an unseen angle.

"Li Xiao!" Emil shrieked as the car's tires squealed on the road, finding purchase on the asphalt. A semi passed an arm length's away from Emil's door, and, not wasting time, Li Xiao slammed his foot on the gas. "I'm gonna be sick." Emil gasped, holding a hand over his mouth.

"Here." Li Xiao offered a bag to Emil. "I came prepared, though I thought you would need this afterwards." Emil snatched the bag and heaved. The vehicle righted itself behind the semi, slowing as the house disappeared from view. When the Icelander ceased his hurling, he sat back and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Thanks." Emil tied off the bag and tossed it out when Li slowed the car enough for him to open the door.

"How's your vision?" Li asked as he pressed the office's location into the GPS.

"Like shit." Emil answered, wishing he could brush his teeth. "And I'm hungry."

"Well, we can eat when you can see again." Li Xiao smiled softly at Emil. The white-haired boy grinned and shut his eyes. For some reason, it felt like that would take a long while.

* * *

They reached their destination ten minutes late. Li Xiao led Emil to the office, helping him when he stumbled and showing him through the door.

"Sit down. I'll sign you in." Li Xiao steered Emil to the nearest chair, refusing to leave until the Icelander sat down. "You're a walking disaster. Stay seated." Li joked, but Emil frowned. The Asian left and Emil blinked, taking in his surroundings. A woman with her son played near the toys. Emil squinted, trying to make out their figures.

"Emil Steilsson?" A woman called from the door by the glass window. Li Xiao appeared by Emil's side again.

"They prepared for the operation since we were late. We arrived just in time." As Emil stumbled towards the woman, Li took ahold of his shoulder. "Hey. This will work." And then, much to Emil's surprise, Li Xiao pulled him in and gave a firm hug. "Good luck."

"Just this way, Emil." The woman informed him as he departed from his friend, following close behind her. He turned to give one last look at Li Xiao, but it was too blurry to see if he was there.

* * *

Dr. Roma greeted Emil cheerily, slapping the teen on his shoulder. Several nurses surrounded an adjustable bed with a large machine to the side and a table holding strange tools.

_Don't look at them._ Emil thought to himself. If he knew exactly what they were going to do, he would back out.

"Emil! Are you ready?" Dr. Roma asked, guiding him to the bed.

"No." Emil answered, laying in the bed and shifting to find a comfortable position. Dr. Roma gave a reassuring smile.

"It's alright. Now, you're positive you want to do this? You can still say no." Dr. Roma gave a sympathetic look to Emil as one of the nurses prepared the IV.

"No. I'm doing this." Emil closed his eyes as he felt the prick of the needle. "Tell me the risks again?" The sound of a machine whirring distracted Emil as the sedative began to lull him towards unconscious.

"Continual worsening of vision, headaches, a heightened sensitivity of the eyes, and of course, complete blindness…" Dr. Roma's voice faded as Emil felt himself fall into a pit of darkness. There was no sound, vision, or feeling. What felt like seconds actually turned into hours, and eventually Emil heard a familiar voice.

"Emil. Emil, wake up." The voice echoed strangely in Emil's head. He knew he should recognize it, but for some reason he didn't. "Emil?"

Emil opened his eyes. Or at least he thought he did. He blinked, trying to adjust. Then he remembered who the voice belonged to.

"Li Xiao?" Emil asked weakly, voice scratchy.

"Yea, how are you doing?" Li Xiao asked, grabbing ahold of Emil's hand.

"Fine, but…why are the lights off?"


End file.
